1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multifunction actuator for turning an object, such as a target, between distinct positions. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to an actuator which allows a target to be turned 90 degrees in either direction from an initial starting point while providing improved control of the target through movement and at the stopping points.
2. State of the Art
In order to maintain proficiency in the use of firearms, it is common for law enforcement officers and sportsmen to engage in target practice. Target practice is traditionally conducted on a shooting range in which targets were placed a distance away from the shooter and the shooter is required to shoot and hit the target.
There are a variety of reasons that law enforcement officers, military personnel and the like (collectively referred to as law enforcement officers) engage in target practice. One reason is for self defense. For example, a substantial percentage of the police officers who are killed each year are killed within fifteen feet of the perpetrator. Many are killed within five feet—often within the confines of a house or other building. Thus, law enforcement officers must be able to quickly shoot and kill a person who would harm them.
Another reason that law enforcement officers must regularly engage in target practice is to prevent the officers from accidentally injuring an innocent party. Every year innocent third parties are killed during gun fire between law enforcement officers and criminals. By perfecting their shooting skills, law enforcement officers can minimize the number of accidental casualties.
Along this same line of concern are the number of accidental shootings that occur each year. A law enforcement officer may accidentally shoot an unarmed person based on the belief that the person is carrying a weapon. In a situation in which a weapon has been reported, a person may accidentally be shot because they were carrying a cellular telephone, a toy gun or some other item that is mistaken for a real weapon.
One of the best ways to avoid accidental shootings is to adequately train law enforcement officers so that they are comfortable with their own reaction times and abilities. If an officer knows that she can adequately assess a potential threat and respond in a very short amount of time, she will be less likely to fire at the first sight of a metallic object in the person's hand.
One of the most effective ways to train law enforcement officers to respond appropriately is to provide targets that may be either a criminal with a weapon, or an innocent person. After successfully completing numerous training scenarios, the law enforcement officers are better able to make a quick, accurate assessment of the risk and to respond accordingly.
One common method for training law enforcement personnel is by the use of a 180 degree turn target. The target has a first face on which an image is presented which is associated with a threat. For example, the target may include a photograph of a woman with a gun or a man with a knife, broken bottle, etc. The opposing side of the target is usually provided with an image which is not a threat. For example, a photograph of a woman carrying a baby or a man with a cellular telephone in his hand.
The target is usually held in an initial, concealed position parallel with the line of fire. As such, the law enforcement officer cannot see either face of the target. The target is then actuated to expose one side or the other. As the target turns and stops, the shooter must decide 1) whether the person constitutes a threat and 2) whether to fire. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, there may be times then the person on the target would pose threat, such as a person who looks ready to fight, but which does not justify firing.
When the shooter is waiting, he or she does not know which face of the target will be exposed. Thus, while the shooter may know on a single faced target that it is a perpetrator or an innocent person and be able to anticipate the appropriate response, in a two faced target the shooter can never grow familiar with the target, as either face may be presented.
By repeating such training until there are no errors, the law enforcement officer can be more confident in his or her ability to respond both quickly and accurately to the situation. This lowers the stress for the law enforcement officers and makes potentially dangerous situations safer for everyone. When a potential threat appears, the law enforcement officer knows that in a fraction of a second he or she can determine if the person is a threat and respond appropriately.
Target actuators are used to move the target as described, to expose one of the target faces. Existing target actuators do not allow for fast and accurate positioning of the target, as well as repeated movement between the various desired target positions (having a particular side of the target or a particular target presented to the shooter, not presenting the target to the shooter).
There is a need for a target actuator which can move a target alternatively between multiple positions, such as presenting varying sides of a target as well as not presenting the target. Thus, there is need for a simple and reliable target actuator which can be alternatively positioned between three or more positions so as to allow varying sides of a target to be selectively presented to a shooter as well as positioning the target so that it is not presented to the shooter.
Thus, there is a need for an improved actuator which enables a target to be more precisely controlled as it moves between positions along a 180 degree travel path. Such an actuator should also be relatively inexpensive and easy to use.